Andy Mac v The Insane AI

[Andy Mac]

Plenty I have been running massive C/S convoys from the UK box to Capetown since game start and then sending to Bombay and Perth also been sending convoys from Abadan on a regular basis

Have to say though this play through is giving me some seriously god awful thoughts for the. NExt update

ORIGINAL: traskott

Supplies in India good, Andy? [;)][;)]

[Andy Mac]

If I feel I am taking advantage of a bad mechanic I either stop myself or step in and fix it

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

VH turns every 5 or 7 days?

4!day turns every 3 months on very hard hard and need to wait 60’days before taking initial landing bases of the AI moves off them

[Andy Mac]

So for example I am about to run 6 turns in head to head mode where i will step in and run both sides for a few days

Mostly to set convoys moving with follow on forces, move air groups out of Tokyo, bring up base forces etc etc just need to watch the Manchuria. Activation as you cannot do this of below the Manchuria. Garrison requirement

[traskott]

[8|][8|] more troubles at India? Well, the only people missing in the party is the Afrika Korps [:'(]

[Andy Mac]

Funny you should mention that ..........(just kidding)

[Andy Mac]

More about supporting some of the early lunges a bit better.

Also the raiders have driven me nuts so must be creative with there

[PaxMondo]

yeah, the raiders are really tough ….

[RangerJoe]

This looks like if I played PBEM as Japanese that I just might be able to win it . . .

[Andy Mac]

lol reality is the AI is still a bit thick I have just completed a 10 turn 'sort out the japanese' review where I take control of both sides and sort out the Japanese AI a little better

Most of it is done in 1 turn but I then run it forward 10 turns to make sutre my changes stick just need to train yourself to forget what you see after you do it but doing it or asking a mate to do it once every 6 - 8 months in the early game makes it much more fun

Its less on an issue post Japan going on defence more just the 1st 12 - 18 months

[Andy Mac]

Anyway now that the chore is done back to the war !!!

[HansBolter]

I hope you extended the end date of this scenario so you have sufficient time to reconquer the entire world.

[Andy Mac]

I should have done with hindsight...

Anyway I have 4 major fleet concentrations at present time to start putting them to use !!!

Bombay, 3 x CV, 1 x CVL, 6 x BB (1 Fast), 2 x BC, 13 Cruisers and 27 Destroyers - but that's pretty much all I get until mid 43 in the Western Fleet (reinformcents are 2 Cruisers and 2 Destroyers in next 6 months !!!)

Australian Fleet - Perth 1 x CVL, 6 x Cruisers and 20 Destroyers - albeit these are pretty old Cruisers

NZ Fleet - Dunedin 1 x BB, 3 x Cruisers, 22 Destroyers ( 2 Cruisers and 4 Destroyers under repair at Sydney)

US Pacific Fleet - PH - 5 Fleet Carriers, 1 x CVE, 4 x BB, 21 Cruisers, 65 Destroyers - Reinfoments 7 CVE's, 5 BB's and lots of Destroyers and Cruisers back from the yards and reinforcements

Not to mention forces on convoy duty...

[Andy Mac]

After I fight the next convoy into Ceylon I think I will bring the fast elements of the Easter Fleet down to SOPAC to reinforce the NZ and Australian Sqns

Andy

[traskott]

If they survive the next convoy.... AI tend to launch massive attacks agains Ceylan Convoys...

[Andy Mac]

You are a prophet of doom !!!

Yesterday the Battle of Colombo was fought

Eastern Fleet was split into 3 TFs
TG1.1 3 CVs 1CVL 1 BB 6 Cruisers and 14modern destroyers
TG1.2 7 DDs
TG1.3 7DDs

And a massive supply convoy with 250k of supply

Day 1 Carriers escorted the convoy to 6 hexes of Colombo fighting off weak air attacks and that night the 2DD tHs went into to clear the harbour

Day 2 speed run from the cover of the carriers to the Colombo air umbrella where I had broaight in 200 fighters


What could possible go wrong ......

[Andy Mac]

At night the DDs cleared the port no problem minimal opposition

As Dawn broke the convoy was in open water 40 miles from Colombo

Japanese land based air scrambled and hit the convoy sinking 2 ships and damaging 3 others as leaking fighters from Colombo fought them
Off not good but not terrible

However my carriers operating 200 miles west of Colombo were jumped by what looks like 6 Japanese Carriers in 3 tf’s

During a long day the Royal Navy TF fought off the waves of Dive bombers the only good news being very few Kate’s

Wave after wave hit me but the Tribal class Destroyers my 2 CLAAs, Prince of Wales and my escorting Cruisers did a fantastic job


Hermes got hit by a couple of bombs but the main target was HMS Illustrious she took 2 Torpedos and 9 Bomb hits but she survived to the next day

[Andy Mac]

Day 2 Dawns the Japanese hit Colombo hard but most of the supply is unloaded and the cap and Aa shredded the attacks

Illustrious lumping with70 sys damage and 30 float was alone and limping to addu Attal got hit by a 40 VAL strike

She took another 7 bomb hits to the flight deck BUT she didn’t sink she is one tough ship

Next day she had 80 aye but was still floating and fighting and she made it to Addu Atoll she is one tough ship

Hermes and POW will be in dry dock for a few months I lost 4’DDs but all my carriers survived

Illustrious will be in dry dock for a year

[Andy Mac]

Thanks god for the armoured flight deck 2 Torpedos and 16 250kg bomb hits and she survived !!!!

[Andy Mac]

Ultimately the mission was a success 230000 supplies out of 250000 landed for a cost of 6 merchant ships 4 destroyers and damage to 2 carriers and a BB

I also lost about 70 aircraft

I sank about 10 Japanese merchant ships when the destroyers cleaned Colombo harbour and have shot down c 200 Fighters and Bombers with maybe another 100 operational or flak losses

But having 50% of my RN carriers out of action pretty much means the RN is relegated to raiding and interdiction

Fortunately the USN is getting ready to come to the party from Pearl just need some more infantry to land in places !!!

[traskott]

Welcome to my life [:'(][:'(]